New Delhi, 18 December (H.S.): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for haze and dense fog enveloping Delhi-NCR from December 18 to 20, urging motorists to exercise utmost caution during reduced visibility periods.
On Thursday, westerly winds gusting at 20 km/h maintained clear skies, but minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to remain 2°C above normal in the coming days, averting a severe cold wave in the capital for now.
Surrounding states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana face similar dense fog predictions over the same period, likely disrupting incoming trains and flights to Delhi. Cold winds from the northwest are forecast for the next two days, prompting officials to advise commuters and outdoor workers to take precautions amid plummeting visibility.
Broader alerts signal cold wave conditions across several regions due to mountain disturbances and icy winds sweeping plains. Eastern Uttar Pradesh, parts of Punjab, and Uttarakhand will experience severely low visibility from dense fog between December 18 and 21, while Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and even northeastern India could see lingering fog until December 22.
In Rajasthan's Nagaur, temperatures dipped to 3.7°C in the last 24 hours, marking it as the coldest plains area in the country.Intense cold waves loom over western Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttarakhand on December 18-19, with Uttar Pradesh bracing for heightened chill from fog.
Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and sections of Maharashtra report sub-5°C lows, though a slight 2°C temperature uptick is anticipated post-December 20 in northwest India.
Snowfall and rain are likely in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on December 20-21, alongside light drizzle in parts of Punjab.Fishermen in the Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Mannar, and Comorin areas have been advised against venturing into the sea until December 20 due to adverse weather, with gusts up to 40 km/h expected around Andaman & Nicobar.
Heavy rains lashed Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore and Ramanathapuram in the past day, while Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand remain under cold wave influence for the next 48 hours.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
